Lessons on Fatherhood

Everytime I read this poem by Shel Silverstein I think of my relationship with my dad:

SMART
My dad gave me one dollar bill
'Cause I'm his smartest son,
And I swapped it for two shiny quarters
'Cause two is more than one!

And then I took the quarters
And traded them to Lou
For three dimes -- I guess he don't know
That three is more than two!

Just then along came old blind Bates
And just 'cause he can't see
He gave me four nickels for my three dimes,
And four is more than three!

And I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs
Down at the seed feed store,
And the fool gave me five pennies for them,
And five is more than four!

And then I went and showed my dad,
And he got red in the cheeks
And closed his eyes and shook his head--
Too proud of me to speak!

[I hope Shel doesn't mind if I add my own poetry to the end of this post]

I know we don't give each other hugs
As much as we maybe could
I know we don't say 'I love you'
As much as we maybe should

But I know what I know
Because you're my dad
And I know that I know
That is sure makes me glad

So thanks for teaching me how
To earn and save a nickel and a dime
And thanks for bailing me out
'Cause I didn't listen most of the time

I love you dad!